Chinese market regulators have launched an antitrust investigation into Qualcomm for its failure to properly declare its acquisition of Autotalks, a move that violates China’s Antimonopoly Law.
The acquisition process has been turbulent. Initially announced in May 2023 with Autotalks valued at $350–400 million, the deal was delayed by regulatory reviews—including by the US CFIUS—before finally closing in June 2025 at a significantly reduced price of $80–90 million, a drop of nearly 77%.
Autotalks is a key player in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication, supplying specialized chipsets that support both DSRC and C-V2X standards. These enable low-latency communication between vehicles, infrastructure, and pedestrians, forming a critical safety layer for autonomous driving.
For Qualcomm, the acquisition strengthens its automotive business, complementing its Snapdragon Digital Chassis with V2X capabilities. However, under Chinese merger control rules, transactions meeting certain thresholds must obtain regulatory approval before implementation.
The probe signals heightened regulatory focus on competition in smart transportation infrastructure, especially given Qualcomm’s prior antitrust penalty in China in 2015.
ICgoodFind : The investigation underscores regulatory scrutiny over V2X sector consolidation, emphasizing compliance as essential for stable industry growth.
